Taris
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide See also: Galactic Gazetteer Taris is an urban planet in the fifth orbit of its star, located in the Taris System, within the Ojoster Sector, of The Outer Rim Territories, in turn Taris is orbited by four moons, including Rogue. The term Tarisian is used to describe people and products from the planet. The planet's ecumenopolis quickly develops over a century of prosperity, and as a result the planet suffers from massive overpopulation. Once a galactic nexus that earned great wealth from its strategic position on hyperspace routes, Taris' importance declined with the discovery of improved trade routes, and the planet rapidly falls into decay. The remainder of the planet's history is wrought with civil disorder and social unrest. As it turns to industry as a means of compensation for its economic troubles, its oceans became polluted, eliminating the planet's main food source. Famine spreads among the lower classes while the rich hoard what few supplies remain. The resulting strife led to the Tarisian Civil War, the start of lasting prejudices between the Humanocentric Tarisian nobles and the largely alien underclass. The city became segmented, and the lower classes become banned from living in the upper levels of Taris. During The Mandalorian Wars, Taris serves as a crucial rallying point for dissident Jedi who decided to fight against the invading Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders. As the lower classes are crushed beneath the rich, crime becomes rampant, and the Tarisian government does little in response. This caused Lhosan Industries, a mining company which employed half of the planet's lower class in its operation, to leave Taris. The millions left unemployed riot against the government, kidnapping the planet's senator in the Galactic Senate as well as the local constable. This caused the local Jedi to leave Taris as well, leaving the planet in a state of chaos, as the war raged on around it. By the time of The Jedi Civil War, order had been restored, but swoop gangs and crime still held sway over the Lower City. During the war, Taris is conquered by Darth Malak's Sith Empire, which quarantines the planet in an attempt to capture Jedi Bastila Shan. As the search continued fruitlessly, Darth Malak orders the bombardment of Taris, killing countless civilians. This act has huge political repercussions for The Sith Empire and changes the tone of the rest of the war, showing Malak and The Sith's true colors, the desire to achieve victory at any cost. Over the next few millennia the planet manages to rebuild and recover from it's devastation, though never reaching the extent of its former glory. Similar to other ecumenopolies like Coruscant and Nar Shaddaa, the upper levels are safe and secure, inhabited by the wealthy, while the lower levels are frequently plagued by gang warfare and inhabited by thugs and the poor. During The Great Galactic War, Taris had become the subject to both Jedi and Sith plans; while The Jedi want to rebuild the planet to prove to the people of the Republic that they were strong enough to recover from such a disaster, and with it raise morale, The Sith seek to foil their plans, to prove that the Republic can't recover from such a thing. Taris Statistics Region: The Outer Rim Climate: Temperate Gravity: Standard Moons: 4 Length of Day: 24 Standard Hours Length of Year: 314 Local Days Sapient Species: 30% Human, 70% Other Species Government: Republic Capital: None (Ecumenopolis) Major Exports: Luxury Items, Technology Major Imports: Food, Raw Materials Category:Planets